Vehicle body construction



Sept. 8, 1931. A. P. BALL.

VEHICLE BODY CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 6, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR dra 23 22 7% me L ATTORNEY-S' oo 5 f i WM m f U H. ml/4 u ...Nr .vmww A .f 1% Il. n. .L

Sept. 8, 1931. A. P. BALL VEHICLE BODY CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 6, 1950 INVENTOR lill m nu mijn wrzazw kd@ ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 8, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE i ALBERT P.- IBALL, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO BRIGGS MANUFACTURING COM- PANY, F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN VEHICLE BODY CONSTRUCTION Application lefl October 6, 1930. Serial No. 486,827.

- horizontal and wherein the opposite side edges of the opening and window panel are substantially perpendicular to the horizcntal and parallel to the path of travel of the glass panel.

In manufacturing vehicle bodies of the type specified above, considerable difficulty has been experienced in providing an eilicient construction since lwhen sliding 'the glass panel in a perpendicular path, the inr' "clined edge thereof travels away from the adjacent side of the opening and accordingly has a tendency to rattle when the same is in any one of its intermediate adjusted posiations.

In an effort to eliminate the foregoing objections certain manufacturers have attempted to slide the glass panel in a path inclined slightly to the perpendicular edges .of the opening and panel. The degree of inclination being so determined that the perpendicular edge of the glass panel is prevented from moving out of supporting relation with the adjacent side of the window Vopening and the inclined front edge of the window panel is maintained to a certain degree in supporting relation with the adjacent side of the window opening. The above method, while successful to a certain degree in supporting the inclined edge of the panel,

is 'impractical in the production of modern priced bodies owing to the complications and expense involved.

Another method of supporting the inclined edge of the window which has been offered to the trade is to form the window guides of sufficient depth to compensate for the distance the inclined edge travels away from the perpendicular during adjustment. The foregoing method is obviously objectionable especially when employed at the front corners of the vehicle since the deep channel guide members effect a blind spot and accordingly materially interfere with the vision.

The present invention contemplates the provision of relatively simple means for supporting the inclined edge of the window panel in any one of its adjusted positions and accomplishes this result with a construction possessing none of the objections here inbefore set forth.

Other objects of the invention will be made more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a portion of a vehicle body with certain parts broken away for the sake of clearness;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view partly in section of the construction shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3` of Figure 2;

Figure 4i isa view similar to Figure 2 showing a slightly modified form of con struction;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary elevational View of the construction illustrated in Figure l showing the glass panel in its uppermost position;

Figure 6 is a View similar to Figure 2 showing still another modied form of con struction; and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the construction shown in Figure 6 illustrating the window panel in its uppermost position.

Referring now to the drawings, it will be noted that therevis illustrated in Figure 1 a portion of a vehicle body 10 comprising a polygonal frame 11 having a window opening 12 in the upper end thereof and having side panels 13 secured to the outer and inner sides thereof forming a housing 14 for receiving the slidable glass panel 15 and the window operating mechanism 16 which may be of any suitable construction and accordingly, further reference to the same will not be made herein. The polygonallyshaped frame 11 comprises a rear frame member 17 arranged substantially perpendicular to the horizontal and a front frame member 18 inclined upwardly and rearwardly from the horizontal and connected at the upper and lower ends thereof to the corresponding ends of the frame member 17 by means of the parallel top and bottoni frame members 19 and 20, respectively. Arranged within: the boundaries of the frame 11 and rigidlyl securedto.the-inner surfaces of the frame members 17, 18 and 19 is a second frame 21 which is vpretei-ably substantially channel-shaped iii cross-section and serves as a guide for the glass panel 15.

In vdetail,.the frame 21 is-provided with a front portion 22 inclined at an angle coincident to the inclination vof the frame meinber 18 and connected to the rear portion 23 by means of the downwardly opening channel portion which serves Uo receive the upper edge of the glass panel when the latter is in its uppermostposit-ioii. A As will be obvious from the preceding description, the window opening 12 is polygonal in shape having the front side edgeinclined upwardf ly and rearwardly from the horizontal and in order to provide an enicient construction, the window panel 15 is identical in shape. Thus, it `will be seen that since both the window opening and window are provided with correspondingly inclined front enge portions and since the glass panel is moved in a: substantially perpendicular path, the front edge of the glass panel will travel away from the correspondingedge of the opening when the panel is moved from its closed position to-its open position. The extent of movement4 of the front edge of the glass panel away fromv the adiacent` edge of the window opening depends entirely upon the inclination of the front frame member 18 which in order to give the desired effect is usually relatively great and owing to the. fact that the depth ofthe channel portion 22 is limited in order to obtain maximum vision, the forward edge of the glass panelusually moves completely out of the channel during the travel thereof fromclosed to open position. Movement of the frontedge of theglass panel out of the channel portion 22 of the frame vis obviously objectionable since it leaves the front-.portions ofithe glass panel unsupported and as a consequence, the latter has a tendency to rattle.

In order to rigidly support the forward edge of the glass panel irrespective `of its position relative to the channel portion 22, l provide means carried by the glass panel and normally yicldably urged into engage` nient with tlieclianiiel The means employed in- Figures 1 to 3, inclusive, comprises an inwardly opening channel member 25 of such dimension as to slidabl i enffao'e D Dk within the channel portion 22 and to receive the forward edge of the glass panel 15 when the latter is in its uppermost position. The ends of the channel member 25 extend beyond the top and bottom edges of the glass panel and have secured thereto the rods 2G which extend rearwardly from the opposite ends of the channel member 25 longitudinally ofthe top and bottom edges of the glass panel. The rods 26 are -slidably received inapair of frame members 27 which are permanently secured to the top and bottom-edges-o-f the glass panel 15 and are urged forwardly by means of suitable coil springs 28 locatedwithin the fiame menibeis 27 in rear of therods 26..` The. construction is such that the,chann-elemember, 25 is yieldably urged into' engagementwith the channel portion 22 by means ofthe rods and the springs 28 engagingthe,iodsaiid since the rods and channel member are car-A ried directly by the glass paiiell, therfor-l ward edge of the` latter will be effectively braced in. any one of'its positions.`

The modified form of constructionA illus-A. trated which may be identical-in,construction to the channel-shaped .brace 25,-niustdoeA capaf ble of swinging movement so `asto adjust itself to the different-angularlyfarranged portions of the window,,guide-,33. The foregoing'is accomplished by pivotally connect,-4 ing the forward ends of the rods-34-with the upper and lowerends ofithe. biacei132i so as to permit sliding' movement of therods 34 relative to each other. rlhe manner in` which the rodsareassembled "upon: the -winto the: constructionf. withf the.l exception dow panel is identical hereinbefore described, that the lowermost rod 84isnot-actuated by a spring, but on the otherfhandjis .capablef of unobstructed sliding movement in feithei: direction.. The arrangement is such'- as to prevent :the guide member 32 .from binding or otherwise interfering with'the-` operation;`

of the glass panel whenthet latter islowered toa position below the inclined Eportion of the windowguide.

The modification illustrated Lin Figurcs: and 7 differs from the construction illus` trated in Figures 4 and iinwtliat-the rods 34- are elminated andthe brace 35y for the front enge of the glass panel isprovided with a rearwardly .extending channel-shaped portion 36V adapted to slidablyj receive thef upper front cornercof theigl-ass panel, and is normally maintained i in engagement with't the; channel guide 37 by meansof acoil'y Y in Figures ,4 and 5, differs from theforegoing arrangement in that only i the. up-A- spring 38 carried by the window frame S9 and secured to the brace 35 below the pivotal connection 40 of the brace to the window frame 39. The foregoing construction is 6 such that as the forward edge of the glass panel moves away from the channel guide 37, the brace 35 moves forwardly into firm engagement with the channel guide 37 and since the brace is carried by the front edge 10 of the window panel, it follows that the latter will be effectively braced in any one of its adjusted positions.

While in describing the present invention particular stress has been placed upon 16 the association of my improved window bracing means in connection with a vehicle body construction having a window opening provided with an inclined side portion, it is to be noted that the same may be used with 20 equal facility in connection with various other types of construction for effecting the bracing action of the glass panel, and accordingly reservation is made to malte such changes in the construction as may come 26 within the purview of the accompanying claims.

lVhat I claim as my invention is: l. A vehicle body provided with a window opening comprising a rigid frame having its 30 vertical sides diverging, a vertically sliding glass panel having diverging vertical edges adapted to close the opening between the vertical sides of said frame, and extensible means projecting beyond one vertical edge 83 of said glass panel and engaging one vertical side of said frame to prevent lateral edgewis movement of the glass panel when lowere 2. A vehicle body provided with a window opening comprising a rigid frame having its vertical sides diverging, a vertically sliding glass panel having diverging vertical edges adapted to close the opening between the vertical sides of said frame, and extensible means projecting beyond one vertical edge of said glass panel and engaging the adjacent vertical edge of said frame to maintain the opposite edge of the glass panel in engagement with the opposite vertical frame member as the panel is lowered.

3. A vehicle body having a window opening comprising a rigid frame including a pair of diverging vertical side members formed of inwardly opening substantially channel-shaped members, and a panel member vertically slideable in said channelshaped members to close said window opening, said panel including a laterally extensible portion engaging one of said channel- 's shaped members, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature.'

ALBERT P. BALL. 

